Heretofore a portable, cordless battery-powered tool has typically included (a) an electric motor located to the rear of a spindle and having an axis common to the spindle, (b) a handle section located below the motor, and (c) a battery housing section located forwardly of the handle section. Such a construction is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application No. 58-144283 which was published by Japanese Official Gazette of Patent Application No. 60-34279.
However, in such a prior art construction, since the motor is located to the rear of the spindle, the entire length of the tool is unavoidably relatively great. Accordingly the tool is not so compact and, hence, the tool is not so easy to use. Also, in such a construction, if the handle section were located to the rear of the motor, the entire length of the tool would become greater. Thus, in such a construction, the handle section is located below the motor. Since the trigger switch for the tool is provided at the handle section, the switch is far from aligned with the axis of the spindle. This makes it still less easy to use the tool or makes it difficult to effectively perform a desired task with the tool.